WSDOT prepares for winter storm looming over Snoqualmie Pass

SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Transportation sent out the alert last week saying winter training was underway for highway maintenance crews and that staffing for around-the-clock shifts was also a priority.

On Monday, the agency also sent out photos via the social media platform “X” showing staff preparing vehicles for the potential winter storm.

At the Summit at Snoqualmie, the scene is far from the winter wonderland most people are used to seeing. The streets are barren, devoid of ice and snow, and so are the hills.

That could change in the next 48 hours as forecasts are calling for snow in the mountain passes.

Monica Hill was commuting through the Summit Monday morning and admits she does not come to the summit for skiing and snowboarding until a little later in the year.

“If I can get up here like late November I’m pretty happy about that,” she said.

Hill says she’ll be driving to Cle Elum for work and hopes WSDOT is prepared for late October snow in the passes.

“I think at least (on) I-90 they usually do a fairly good job of cleaning it up – not too worried yet. Maybe when the snow starts to fall,” Hill said.

WSDOT says like in years past, it will “swarm to the storm” by moving resources to hard-hit areas. In the coming days, that could be I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass.

Underlining how relatively early it is for mountain snow, WSDOT says studded tires are legal in the state starting Nov. 1 — more than a week away — through March 31.

Ken Hotz clears snow in the Summit at Snoqualmie area and wonders if it will pile up.

“Nah — it’s too warm still, usually, Halloween is our first good dusting — might be one or three inches,” Hotz said.

He expects the streets and mountains to remain bare, but he’s preparing.

“We’re getting ready for winter now. We sent everything down to Bobcat in Seattle to get new tracks on stuff and blowers fixed from last year — getting ready for what’s to come,” Hotz said.

With the pandemic, WSDOT admitted that staffing was an issue in recent years. But the agency says staffing is back to pre-pandemic levels just in time for this winter.

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